Is the unique waving dance of Tujia nationality in Southwest China just a simple dance?

Hand-waving dance is a traditional dance of Tujia nationality with a very long history. This kind of dance is of great significance, which not only reflects the production and living habits of Tujia people, but also has the historical significance of religious sacrifice and unity and cooperation, so it is listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in China.

Tujia waving dance has a long history. Some people say that waving dance originated from religious sacrificial activities, because Tujia people respect their ancestors and love their leaders. In order not to forget the achievements of their ancestors, Tujia people created a swing dance to commemorate them.

In some areas, Tujia people still retain the traditional custom of rocking dance in ancestor worship and on some special days.

There is also a saying that waving dance was actually an action of dancing when the war was won at the earliest, because in folklore, Peng Gong led his troops to fight, and in order to inspire military prestige and morale, he ordered his men to seduce the enemy with songs and dances. After the victory of the battle, this swing dance spread to the people.

The movements of waving dance are mainly productive labor, daily life and fighting. There are "single pendulum", "double pendulum" and "pendulum". In hunting dance, there are many actions such as "chasing monkeys", "dragging pheasants' tails" and "jumping toads". Agricultural dances include digging, sowing, spinning cotton, weaving, transplanting rice seedlings and planting corn. There are also "sweeping the floor", "killing mosquitoes" and "wiping the back" in the dance of life.

Therefore, swing dance is a very interesting and historic dance. It is the spiritual wealth created by Tujia people for thousands of years, and it is the epitome and artistic expression of Tujia people's social production and development in a long historical stage.